Escalating global tensions are causing concern as reports indicate that Russia has deployed a submarine and additional naval vessels to accompany an oil tanker near the coast of Venezuela, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The oil tanker, previously known as the Bella 1 but now renamed the Marinera, is part of the “shadow fleet,” a group of vessels involved in illegal oil transportation, as reported by the Sun. The vessel has been evading a US blockade targeting sanctioned tankers around Venezuela for over two weeks, notes the Express.
In response, the US Coast Guard has pursued the ship into the Atlantic Ocean as part of a broader crackdown on illicit oil trading worldwide, including the sale of black-market petroleum by Russia, as detailed by the WSJ.
US President Donald Trump made an announcement on his Truth Social platform, revealing that Venezuela would be transferring between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States. Trump emphasized that the oil would be sold at market value, with the proceeds overseen to benefit both the people of Venezuela and the US.
To facilitate this transaction, the White House is arranging a meeting with top officials from oil companies like Exxon, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips on the matter of Venezuela. This development comes after the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, 63, and his wife Cilla Flores, 69, by a specialized US military unit, raising concerns about potential conflicts.
Maduro had previously faced charges related to drug and terrorism offenses in a New York Southern District court in 2020.
